Trump Vows to Declare Strait of Hormuz U.S. Territory

President Donald Trump announced during several New York rallies and events that he intends to declare the Strait of Hormuz a territory of the United States once Iran is defeated. Trump described the current U.S. naval blockade as a "wall of steel" and asserted that the U.S. maintains total control of the waterway. While a White House official later characterized the remarks as a joke, the statements escalated tensions in a conflict that began on February 28, 2026, with U.S. and Israeli strikes.

Iran has rejected these claims, asserting that the strait remains under its sole command and will only reopen if the U.S. lifts sanctions, releases frozen assets, and pays war reparations. The standoff has severely disrupted global energy markets, with shipping traffic plummeting to roughly 20% of pre-war levels. The United Arab Emirates recently accused Iran of attacking multiple Abu Dhabi National Oil Company tankers in the strait, which the UAE described as acts of piracy.

Domestically, Trump defended rising gasoline prices—which have increased approximately 29% year-over-year—as a necessary cost to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers have raised alarms over dire living conditions and mental health crises aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for over 260 days. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth denied these reports, stating the crew remains resilient and that the U.S. Navy can maintain its blockade indefinitely.

Diplomatic efforts have largely stalled following the collapse of a June memorandum of understanding. While Iran is negotiating a technical shipping route map with Oman, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi clarified that this does not constitute a full reopening of the strait.